The quality control standards and principles of the application and training of critical ultrasonography / 中华内科杂志

Critical ultrasonography is widely used in ICU and has become an indispensable tool for clinicians. However, besides operator-dependency of critical ultrasonography, lack of standardized training mainly result in the physicians′ heterogenous ultrasonic skill. Therefore, standardized training as well as strict quality control plays the key role in the development of critical ultrasonography. We present this quality control standards to promote better development of critical ultrasonography.

Training practice of critical ultrasonography in standardized training of neurosurgical specialists / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Based on clinical training and practice experience of the authors in recent years, the training practice of critical ultrasonography in standardized training of neurosurgical specialists were summarized in the study. The study also discussed the appropriate training mode and training requirements of critical ultrasonography in standardized training of neurosurgical specialists, from the aspects of basic theory training, clinical application training of critical ultrasonography and special training of craniocerebral ultrasound, training precautions and training assessment, so as to provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment strategies for neurological intensive patients.

[Recommendations for the treatment of severe coronavirus disease 2019 based on critical care ultrasound].

Severe patients with coronaviras disease 2019 (COVID-19) are characterized by persistent lung damage, causing respiratory failure, secondary circulatory changes and multiple organ dysfunction after virus invasion. Because of its dynamic, real-time, non-invasive, repeatable and other advantages, critical ultrasonography can be widely used in the diagnosis, assessment and guidance of treatment for severe patients. Based on the recommendations of critical care experts from all over the country who fight against the epidemic in Wuhan, this article summarizes the guidelines for the treatment of COVID-19 based on critical ultrasonography, hoping to provide help for the treatment of severe patients. The recommendations mainly cover the following aspects: (1) lung ultrasound in patients with COVID-19 is mainly manifested by thickened and irregular pleural lines, different types of B-lines, shred signs, and other consolidation like dynamic air bronchogram; (2) Echocardiography may show right heart dysfunction, diffuse cardiac function enhancement, stress cardiomyopathy, diffuse cardiac depression and other multiple abnormalities; (3) Critical ultrasonography helps with initiating early treatment in the suspect patient, screening confirmed patients after intensive care unit admission, early assessment of sudden critical events, rapid grading assessment and treatment based on it; (4) Critical ultrasonography helps to quickly screen for the etiology of respiratory failure in patients with COVID-19, make oxygen therapeutic strategy, guide the implementation of lung protective ventilation, graded management and precise off-ventilator; (5) Critical ultrasonography is helpful for assessing the circulatory status of patients with COVID-19, finding chronic cardiopulmonary diseases and guiding extracorporeal membrane oxygenation management; (6) Critical ultrasonography contributes to the management of organs besides based on cardiopulmonary oxygen transport; (7) Critical ultrasonography can help to improve the success of operation; (8) Critical ultrasonography can help to improve the safety and quality of nursing; (9) When performing critical ultrasonography for patients with COVID-19, it needs to implement three-level protection standard, pay attention to disinfect the machine and strictly obey the rules from nosocomial infection. (10) Telemedicine and artificial intelligence centered on critical ultrasonography may help to improve the efficiency of treatment for the patients with COVID-19. In the face of the global spread of the epidemic, all we can do is to share experience, build a defense line, We hope this recommendations can help COVID-19 patients therapy.

[Technical specification for clinical application of critical ultrasonography].

Critical ultrasonography(CUS) is different from the traditional diagnostic ultrasound, the examiner and interpreter of the image are critical care medicine physicians. The core content of CUS is to evaluate the pathophysiological changes of organs and systems and etiology changes. With the idea of critical care medicine as the soul, it can integrate the above information and clinical information, bedside real-time diagnosis and titration treatment, and evaluate the therapeutic effect so as to improve the outcome. CUS is a traditional technique which is applied as a new application method. The consensus of experts on critical ultrasonography in China released in 2016 put forward consensus suggestions on the concept, implementation and application of CUS. It should be further emphasized that the accurate and objective assessment and implementation of CUS requires the standardization of ultrasound image acquisition and the need to establish a CUS procedure. At the same time, the standardized training for CUS accepted by critical care medicine physicians requires the application of technical specifications, and the establishment of technical specifications is the basis for the quality control and continuous improvement of CUS. Chinese Critical Ultrasound Study Group and Critical Hemodynamic Therapy Collabration Group, based on the rich experience of clinical practice in critical care and research, combined with the essence of CUS, to learn the traditional ultrasonic essence, established the clinical application technical specifications of CUS, including in five parts: basic view and relevant indicators to obtain in CUS; basic norms for viscera organ assessment and special assessment; standardized processes and systematic inspection programs; examples of CUS applications; CUS training and the application of qualification certification. The establishment of applied technology standard is helpful for standardized training and clinical correct implementation. It is helpful for clinical evaluation and correct guidance treatment, and is also helpful for quality control and continuous improvement of CUS application.

Technical specification for clinical application of critical ultrasonography / 中华内科杂志

Critical ultrasonography(CUS) is different from the traditional diagnostic ultrasound,the examiner and interpreter of the image are critical care medicine physicians.The core content of CUS is to evaluate the pathophysiological changes of organs and systems and etiology changes.With the idea of critical care medicine as the soul,it can integrate the above information and clinical information,bedside real-time diagnosis and titration treatment,and evaluate the therapeutic effect so as to improve the outcome.CUS is a traditional technique which is applied as a new application method.The consensus of experts on critical ultrasonography in China released in 2016 put forward consensus suggestions on the concept,implementation and application of CUS.It should be further emphasized that the accurate and objective assessment and implementation of CUS requires the standardization of ultrasound image acquisition and the need to establish a CUS procedure.At the same time,the standardized training for CUS accepted by critical care medicine physicians requires the application of technical specifications,and the establishment of technical specifications is the basis for the quality control and continuous improvement of CUS.Chinese Critical Ultrasound Study Group and Critical Hemodynamic Therapy Collabration Group,based on the rich experience of clinical practice in critical care and research,combined with the essence of CUS,to learn the traditional ultrasonic essence,established the clinical application technical specifications of CUS,including in five parts:basic view and relevant indicators to obtain in CUS;basic norms for viscera organ assessment and special assessment;standardized processes and systematic inspection programs;examples of CUS applications;CUS training and the application of qualification certification.The establishment of applied technology standard is helpful for standardized training and clinical correct implementation.It is helpful for clinical evaluation and correct guidance treatment,and is also helpful for quality control and continuous improvement of CUS application.

[The effects of different tidal volume ventilation on right ventricular function in critical respiratory failure patients].

Objective: To observe and explore the effects of different tidal volume (VT) ventilation on right ventricular (RV) function in patients with critical respiratory failure. Methods: Consecutive respiratory failure patients who were treated with invasive ventilator over 24 h in the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from June to December in 2015 were enrolled in this study.Clinical data including patients' vital signs, ventilator parameters and RV echocardiography were collected within 6 h (D0), day1(D1), day2 (D2) and day3 (D3) after ventilation started.According to the VT, patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were assigned to low VT group [S6, ≤6 ml/kg predicted body weight (PBW)] and high VT group (L6, >6 ml/kg PBW), while non-ARDS patients were also assigned to low VT group (S8, ≤8 ml/kg PBW) and high VT group (L8, >8 ml/kg PBW). Results: A total of 84 patients were enrolled in this study.44.2% ARDS patients and 58.5% non-ARDS patients were in low VT groups.After ventilation, tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion(TAPSE)decreased progressively in S6 [from 18.30(16.70, 20.70) mm to 17.55(15.70, 19.50) mm, P=0.001], L6 [from 19.50(17.00, 21.00) mm to 16.30(15.00, 18.00) mm P=0.001], S8[from 18.00(16.00, 21.00) mm to 16.50(15.50, 18.00) mm, P=0.001] and L8 [from 19.00(17.50, 21.50) mm to 16.35(15.15, 17.00) mm, P=0.001] groups.However, TAPSE decreased less in small VT groups (S6 and S8) than those of in large VT groups (S8 and L8) without significant differences.There were not statistical differences between different VT groups in terms of ventilation days, including right ventricle area/left ventricle area (RV(area)/LV(area)), TAPSE, peak mitral flow velocity of the early rapid filling wave (E), peak mitral flow velocity of the late rapid filling wave (A), early diastolic velocity of the tricuspid annulus (e'), pulmonary artery systolic pressure, inferior vena cava diameter (all P>0.05). Compared to L6 group, low VT (S6 group) resulted in decreased mortality at 28 days [1/19 vs 37.5%(9/24), P=0.014]. There were not statistical differences between different VT groups in terms of ventilation days, length of intensive care unit stay, length of hospital stay (all P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that VT could be the independent factor of TAPSE (OR=1.104, 95%CI 0.100-1.003, P=0.049). Conclusions: Positive pressure mechanical ventilation resulted in RV systolic dysfunction .Lower VT may have the protective effect on RV function. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-POC-15007563.

The effects of different tidal volume ventilation on right ventricular function in critical respiratory failure patients / 中华内科杂志

Objective To observe and explore the effects of different tidal volume (VT) ventilation on right ventricular (RV) function in patients with critical respiratory failure.Methods Consecutive respiratory failure patients who were treated with invasive ventilator over 24 h in the Department of Critical Care Medicine at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from June to December in 2015 were enrolled in this study.Clinical data including patients′ vital signs, ventilator parameters and RV echocardiography were collected within 6 h (D0), day1(D1), day2 (D2) and day3 (D3) after ventilation started.According to the VT, patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) were assigned to low VT group [S6, ≤6 ml/kg predicted body weight (PBW)] and high VT group (L6, >6 ml/kg PBW), while non-ARDS patients were also assigned to low VT group (S8, ≤8 ml/kg PBW) and high VT group (L8, >8 ml/kg PBW).Results A total of 84 patients were enrolled in this study.44.2% ARDS patients and 58.5% non-ARDS patients were in low VT groups.After ventilation, tricuspid annulus plane systolic excursion(TAPSE)decreased progressively in S6 [from 18.30(16.70,20.70) mm to 17.55(15.70,19.50) mm, P=0.001], L6 [from 19.50(17.00,21.00) mm to 16.30(15.00,18.00) mm P=0.001], S8[from 18.00(16.00,21.00) mm to 16.50(15.50,18.00) mm, P=0.001] and L8 [from 19.00(17.50,21.50) mm to 16.35(15.15,17.00) mm, P=0.001] groups.However, TAPSE decreased less in small VT groups (S6 and S8) than those of in large VT groups (S8 and L8) without significant differences.There were not statistical differences between different VT groups in terms of ventilation days, including right ventricle area/left ventricle area (RVarea/LVarea),TAPSE,peak mitral flow velocity of the early rapid filling wave (E),peak mitral flow velocity of the late rapid filling wave (A),early diastolic velocity of the tricuspid annulus (e′),pulmonary artery systolic pressure,inferior vena cava diameter (all P>0.05).Compared to L6 group, low VT (S6 group) resulted in decreased mortality at 28 days [1/19 vs 37.5%(9/24), P=0.014].There were not statistical differences between different VT groups in terms of ventilation days, length of intensive care unit stay, length of hospital stay (all P>0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that VT could be the independent factor of TAPSE (OR=1.104,95%CI 0.100-1.003,P=0.049).Conclusions Positive pressure mechanical ventilation resulted in RV systolic dysfunction.Lower VT may have the protective effect on RV function.Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry,ChiCTR-POC-15007563.